While the Houston Rockets have other more pressing issues, they will have a major upcoming decision to make. Do the Rockets exercise point guard Fred VanVleet‘s $44.88 million team option this offseason?
Speaking of the offseason, the Rockets could start much earlier than anticipated. Houston trails Golden State 3-1 in its best-of-seven first-round series after falling in Game 4 109-106 despite Alperen Sengun‘s and Vanvleet’s best efforts.
Rockets Have Tough Upcoming Decision On Veteran Point Guard
Sengun and VanVleet combined for 56 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 steals last night. The Rockets, who were blown out in Game 3, started out the game well. In the first 24 minutes, Houston made 54.1% of its shots and seven threes at a 63.4% clip, leading 57-50 at the break.
But a recurring theme this postseason is that Houston squandered its first-half lead. The Warriors outscored the Rockets 59-49 in the second half. Jimmy Butler secured the Rockets’ fate by sinking five free throws over the last minute and grabbing a key Sengun miss with four seconds left. The series shifts back to Houston for Game 5 on Wednesday.
Fred VanVleet
While Sengun’s star keeps shining brightly, and Amen Thompson is on the verge of becoming a star in his own right, a few Rockets have fallen short of expectations. Jalen Grereally struggled in the opening round against the Warriors, except for a 38-point explosion in Game 2, and did not reach double figures in the other trio of contests.
That brings us to VanVleet. VanVleet was outstanding on Monday night, tallied 25 points on 8 of 13 shooting, all his field goals coming from deep, six assists, and two turnovers in 40 minutes. But he had struggled in the first three games of the series.
Coming into Game 4, VanVleet had not shot the ball well. Even with his prolific night, the veteran point guard totaled 14.4 points on 13.5 shots, 4.5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in 41 minutes a game. He has made 3.5 treys of his 10.3 attempts with shooting splits of .352/.385/1.000.
“There’s times and places where I have to play better, I have to make shots at a higher clip,” VanVleet told reporters before Monday’s contest. “I have to find rhythm and find ways to be more aggressive. But obviously, if I’m getting two on the ball at 28, 30 feet, I feel like I’ve done my job for that possession. If I can draw a mismatch and I can draw a best defender, there’s opportunity for other guys, I feel like I’ve done my job on that possession. So, it’s different ways to attack. I have to be better, 1,000%.”
What Should The Rockets Do?
General manager Rafael Stone won’t have an easy decision about picking up VanVleet’s option. While VanVleet’s postseason shooting struggles likely won’t scare off the Rockets this offseason, Stone has more to consider than the 31-year-old’s postseason appearance.
VanVleet is coming off his least productive campaign since being a full-time starter in 2019-20. Moreover, his countable regular season numbers were significantly lower this season than his first as a Rocket.
Here is the thing. The Rockets inked VanVleet to a three-year, $129 million in the summer of 2023 to be their starting point guard and provide leadership for their young core. The Rockets are 93-71 over the last two seasons and snapped a four-year playoff drought. They are 71-54 in the games that VanVleet has played in.
VanVleet is a two-way lead guard who enjoys “getting after it defensively” as much as he “loves” to let it fly from deep. VanVleet is a high-volume 3-point shooter, who knocks down 38.7% of his attempts, and a solid distributor. He has produced 24 double-doubles and averages 1.5 steals a game during his tenure in Houston.
Rockets Do Have Options
One positive note is that Stone does have some options. Obviously, the Rockets could exercise VanVleet’s option. At this time, exercising VanVleet’s clause would mean that the Rockets would have 12 players under contract with salaries topping $190 million for next season.
Therefore, Houston would be $2.3 million over the luxury tax with at least two players to sign. The Rockets would still be over $16 million below the second apron.
However, as Houston Chronicle’s Danielle Lerner pointed out, the Rockets “could also decline the option but re-sign VanVleet for next season at a lower salary, or let him walk.”
Houston also has a $4.9 million team option on Aaron Holiday. Steven Adams, Jae’Sean Tate, and Jeff Green are unrestricted free agents. The Rockets own Phoenix’s lottery pick and the No. 59 pick via Oklahoma City.
The Last Word
As I mentioned above, Stone doesn’t have an easy decision here. One thing is known: the Rockets are not going to break clean of VanVleet—i.e., release him. While the 6-foot point guard is not worth $45 million a season, it is conceivable that they pick up his option and let him become a free agent after next season.
VanVleet is an average NBA starting point guard who had a subpar season in 2024-25 compared to his standards. Thompson appears to be a star in the making, and while he can play alongside VanVleet, he is at his best when running the show. They also have Reed Sheppard, who was taken with the No. 3 overall pick this past draft, lurking in the shadows.
As a result, the likelier scenario is that Houston picks up the option and trades him or Green. The Rockets are a deep team but far from a championship-caliber squad. Granted, they are relatively young, and their strength is in the frontcourt. An elite, efficient scorer is one of the biggest things that the Rockets lack.
If Houston decides to trade VanVleet, it may be in the Rockets’ best interest to rework his contract, giving him a year or two extra for a significant pay cut. For example, the Rockets could decline the option and re-sign VanVleet to a three-year, $85-90 million deal with a player option. This would provide the Rockets with more flexibility this upcoming season and make him a valuable trade commodity.
Photo Credit: © Kelley L Cox, Imagn Images
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